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Text Celestia and Luna sat across from each other, as far away from where they had decided to make camp at Allonym's old home as Luna's link with Scrivener would allow her to be. The stallion himself was quietly poring over the books and trying not to peek at Luna's thoughts, while Twilight sat beside the stallion, more resting with Abaddon in her lap and just trying to find a little bit of peace than anything else. Not that anyone could blame her. Discombobulation was taking a look around the area, and Morning Glory was... well, sulking wasn't far off, the Destroyer clearly furious with herself and twitching every now and then even as she tried to meditate and clear her mind. Celestia, meanwhile... Luna looked awkwardly up at her older sister, and the larger ivory mare looked calmly, coldly down at her younger sibling. It had been quite a while since Luna had seen that look on Celestia's face, and she most certainly hadn't missed it being gone as she tried to look everywhere except for that amethyst glare, and yet again and again felt her eyes being drawn back to the mare's irises. “I uh... Celestia... that is to say...” “Yes, Luna?” Celestia's voice was cordial as ever, but there was an edge hidden beneath it that made Luna shrink down before the ivory winged unicorn closed her eyes and sighed softly. “Yes, that's precisely what I thought. Do you remember a thousand years ago, when you thought it was such great fun to play with my scrying artifacts until you finally broke the crystal ball I'd retrieved from a witch we had dealt with in the south?” “Thou means the witch thou dismembered and burned while Sleipnir and I watched like scared foals, aye, I believe I remember that very well.” Luna corrected before she could stop herself, and then she winced and tried to shrink her head back into her armor when Celestia slowly opened her eyes to glare at her again. “I. I remember thou wert provoked, though. So. 'Twas not at all an overreaction, nay, not even in the slightest.” Celestia sighed tiredly again, shaking her head slowly before she leaned down and said softly: “You like to push, and push, and push, until you find the limits to something. Unlike Sleipnir, though, that doesn't satisfy you, and nor does occasionally crossing it. You then have to push as deep into that dangerous territory as you can go until someone finally snaps, or you've done something unspeakably stupid, Luna. And I tried to change that part of you sometimes, but I also recognized it's a large part of what makes you who you are. It's even a good quality, now and then. The way you frustrated me so much, in spite of how I could shrug off even the rudest Barons... it taught me a lot about myself. “But Luna, you have to stop pushing now, and start dealing with your problems like a rational pony. You are a Valkyrie. I expect better from you than to drown yourself in drinking corruption and lashing out at your husband, provoking him and others into hurting you and hurting them back to deal with your issues.” “That is not at all what happened!” Luna shouted, and Celestia only shook her head curtly, the sapphire mare gritting her teeth before she blurted: “And damnation, Celestia, look at me, at this piece of crystal jutting from mine own skull and the changes in my body and the changes I know, I know thou sees within my spirit! I am becoming something dark and terrible and I know not what, and resisting it only maddens and hurts me further!” Celestia looked at her coldly, and Luna glared back, trembling a little. “Besides, what have I to lose? I cannot... I can no longer live like this. Needing needles every week and to schedule my lovemaking with my husband and to be chastised every time I kiss him. Fine, I shall be an addict. Or replace my blood with Scrivener's, which will cure me even if I will become... something else, too. But what shames the Valkyries more? One who is a monster, or one who is a junkie that must live by the laws set by others?” Celestia slapped Luna hard with the back of one hoof, making her flinch before the ivory mare said sharply: “Don't talk like that again, Luna Brynhild. Don't say things like that. And you know this isn't what we're talking about... this is you, deflecting, because you don't want to talk about or deal with your mistakes. This is you being self-pitying, trying to get me to feel sorry for you so I'll indulge your habits and enable you like Scrivener and Twilight do.” “Oh, what does thou know?” Luna snapped, glaring up at Celestia defiantly, and the ivory mare reared back slightly. “Perfect preening princess Celestia, always able to do the right thing and look so good and righteous in the eyes of everypony, so self-sacrificing when thou art anything but! Oh, aye, I have my problems but at least I offer solutions, not pointless platitudes and scolding!” “Luna, get control of yourself.” Celestia replied in a quiet, cold voice, and he leaned slowly forwards as her amethyst eyes glowed. “I will not put up with you lashing out at me like a child, and you know that. This isn't the time or place for it. “Now, listen to me. The schedule has been working fine, it's only the stress that triggered this... relapse. But I would like to monitor your next few doses myself, and space them out over a longer period. I would also like to find a more suitable replacement: I understand that this poison fuels your strength, but I'm beginning to think it might be causing other damages to you. We need to get you off this poison.” Celestia continued, looking at Luna as the sapphire mare stared in disbelief up at her sister. “I also want you minimizing your contact with Scrivener. Twilight doesn't seem to be affected by the corruption like you are, so I'm not going to say anything there, but if you want to have sex with him, then use a condom.” Luna's mouth worked wordlessly for a few moments before she snarled in fury, her mane sparking and flaring up with blue fire before Celestia's own eyes glowed as she leaned down. Both mares, dressed in their battle-damaged armor, both with wounds still clear as day on their bodies, looked ready to leap into a duel with each other at any given moment... and like if they did, only one would come out alive. “How... how dare thou-” “I'm saying it for your own good. Your own protection.” Celestia replied sharply, her eyes locking with Luna's. “Being nice hasn't helped you. Being patient has just led up to this: you may have beaten the Black Wolf, but I was still able to see enough of the fight while Discombobulation kept us outside of reality to see the way you were looking at it. Like you wanted to see what it was turning into. Like you were admiring it... and not just it, but what the corruption was doing to that monster. And I am not about to sit back and let you self-destruct.” Luna trembled in fury, glaring up at the mare, still unable to think of any coherent response before Celestia continued quietly: “You are a good pony. You are my sister, and I love you. You are my trusted second, the Night Maiden. But you're also an addict and I realize now that I should have been harder on you. You and Scrivener almost beat each other to unconsciousness and hurt Twilight without even realizing it, then you gorged yourself on his blood. You're sick, and you need help, and to be watched over. I shouldn't've even let you come on this mission.” “I... thou... nay! Go fuck thyself, Celestia!” Luna suddenly shouted angrily, and the ivory mare leaned back in shock as the sapphire mare stomped forwards, snarling in fury even as tears ran down her cheeks. “So is that all I am now? Weak, pathetic, helpless, a junkie? To be watched over, coddled and disciplined as thou sees fit, incapable of my own decisions? Help? This is not help! I am a warrior, and Thesis is after myself and Scrivener, and if he has monsters like the Black Wolves at his disposal we must be strong! Thou wants me to give up the corruption, and with it, my horn and magic? Fine! But I shan't do it, I shan't stop... stop making love and fucking my husband when I please, I shan't be monitored, I shan't follow any of thy wretched, stupid schedules until after we have destroyed that bastard and his army!” “Oh, so now it's all about Thesis, and all about what I want, is it? It has nothing to do with the fact you're out of control?” Celestia snapped back, her calm demeanor shattering completely as she snarled in fury. “How dare you speak to me like that? What in Helheim's name is wrong with you, listen to your own words-” “Listen to thyself!” Luna retorted, leaning forwards aggressively, the sisters almost shoving their faces together as their manes and horns sparked. “I am a Valkyrie-” “And that makes you my soldier!” Celestia reached up and shoved Luna by the head with one hoof, sending her stumbling. The sapphire mare looked shocked by this, as the ivory equine shouted: “And when I see one of my Valkyries misbehaving like a spoiled brat, she is removed from duty until such time she learns to behave herself, and she can get her emotions in check and under control!” Luna twitched violently, breathing harshly in and out, eyes glowing with fury. They glared at each other, both refusing to break eye contact, bodies trembling and emotions rising before Celestia whispered in a deadly-serious voice: “Drop your eyes and show me some respect, or I'm going to put you in a world of hurt, Brynhild. I will not tolerate this behavior from you any longer. And I'll go back to the old ways if I have to.” “Thou knows what they say. An old dog cannot learn a new trick, and thou art an ancient bitch, Freya.” Luna snarled in return, and Celestia's eyes blazed with fury as her features tensed and her teeth clenched so tightly they threatened to crack. “I am not thy soldier. I am thy sister and equal. And thou will be the one to drop thy gaze or I shall inflict upon thou a world of pain.” Celestia and Luna continued to glare, challenging each other, feeling nothing but fury and emotion and ancient, warlike instinct... and then, at almost the same time, both ponies stepped forwards and swung a hoof out. Celestia's crashed into Luna's, and for a moment they shoved against each other, evenly-matched... but then Luna's foreleg trembled, and Celestia began to bear forwards, Luna hissing and flexing, their eyes still locked- Luna suddenly slipped to the side and leapt forwards, and she slammed her head into Celestia's own, knocking her staggering backwards with a cry of shock before Luna dropped and slashed her crystalline horn down. It tore a thin slice across the ivory mare's cheek even as she flung herself backwards and flapped her wings hard to launch herself across the field, and Celestia's amethyst eyes widened in disbelief as Luna bared her fangs and landed in a ready position. “I am not scared little Luna anymore! I do not idolize thee, I do not need to be like thee, I will not simply kowtow to thy wishes... and I am not thy serving wench!” “Fine. I'll punish you the same way I punished the Valkyries in the old days when they grew too arrogant. By showing them why I am considered Queen.” Celestia said coldly, and without another word she charged forwards, her horn glowing as she snapped it outwards and sent three blasts of golden flame shooting towards Luna. Luna snapped her horn forwards as she leapt backwards, a net of thick brambles exploding up out of the ground around the ivory mare, but Celestia only flicked her horn to the side in mid-run, sending out a blast of force that flattened the vines back to the earth. Luna, meanwhile, was twisting herself to the side to avoid the blades of flame... except a moment later, they transformed into blades of golden metal, Celestia's short swords stabbing swiftly in- Luna kicked off the flat of one sword to knock it away, then revolved her body, deflecting another stab with her horn and kicking the hilt of the last to send it rocketing straight at Celestia, but without halting the ivory mare only tilted her head forwards, all three of her swords moving in a blur of light to defensive positions around her head. The sapphire mare shot upwards into the air, and Celestia's horn flashed: overhead, the sun itself gave a sudden flare of light that blinded Luna, distracting her for a crucial moment even as her instincts screamed at her. She spun her body blindly as she began to flip, but then cried out in agony as something ripped through one of her wings, sending her plummeting towards the ground as her teary eyes opened. One of Celestia's swords had torn halfway through her wing and was now lodged there, burning-hot: she had cauterized as she'd cut, both a blessing and a curse. Celestia was waiting below with both swords raised and her horn glowing, and Luna snarled as she poured her magic into her own horn, deciding that if Celestia wanted to play rough, she could do the same. Two javelins shot backwards out of the quiver still hanging at her side, and Celestia parried both of these before Luna forcefully arched her back, gaining just enough lift to send her careening violently away from the ivory mare. Celestia tracked her with her eyes, and Luna snarled: the timing had to be perfect, as her crystalline horn glowed with magic power before Celestia snapped her own horn forwards to send a golden fireball at her. Luna spun her body around, slashing her charged horn out, and it knocked the golden fireball flying into the base of a nearby tree with a tremendous boom. Celestia winced at this, and then Luna's own horn snapped downwards as she fell to the ground, yanking on the javelins she still had a blind telekinetic grip on. One flew wild, but the other slammed into Celestia's side and ripped deep, making her howl in surprise and pain as she stumbled, faltering her swords. Luna hit the ground and bounced violently backwards several times before rolling to regain her hooves... and then she screamed as Celestia snarled and yanked the sword buried in her younger sibling's wing free with telekinesis, before slashing cruelly towards her face. Luna dropped her head forwards, catching the sword against her horn, and Celestia grinned even as pain filled her eyes, her horn flashing brightly. And Luna shrieked in agony as the sword exploded in a blast of golden flame and concentrated force, cracks ripping through her soulstone horn as she staggered to the side with a gasp. Celestia flung her remaining swords at Luna with telekinesis, and the sapphire mare cursed and flung herself out of the way of one, but the other caught her in the shoulder and knocked her off-balance before the vengeful ivory equine flicked her horn, and the sapphire mare was blasted into the air as the ground beneath her erupted upwards. Celestia grinned callously at this, her eyes blazing, aware of only her own anger and battlelust before she blinked in surprise at a loud, ponderous creaking. The tree that Luna had earlier deflected a fireball was toppling slowly forwards, and Celestia's eyes widened as she realized she was standing right in the path of it. Immediately, she leapt backwards as she shoved outwards with telekinesis, sending it crashing down away from her, but it was a more than sufficient distraction for Luna to regain her senses and manage to get her hooves beneath her before he hit the ground. She looked sharply up, and felt something seize into her mind before she gargled... then slowly grinned as pain turned to pleasure, lightning crackling along her body as Nightmare Moon whispered: Make me proud, sweet Luna. The sapphire mare growled, wincing as the light of her horn sputtered faintly before Sting Mk. II drew free from the holster on her back, and Luna took aim at Celestia just as the ivory mare sent another golden fireball rocketing towards her. Luna fired without hesitation, and the fireball exploded only a few feet away from Celestia when the bullet struck it, before several more rounds smashed into her chest and armor. The ivory mare was knocked staggering backwards, but then she only snarled in fury, shouting angrily: “And this is why I can barely consider you the same Valkyrie you once were, using pathetic little toys as well as glutting yourself on that sick poison!” Luna snapped the gun open, then cursed and leapt to the side when Celestia snapped her horn down and several bolts of golden fire shot from the sky, peppering the area as the sapphire mare leapt back into the forest. She put her back to a tree, but heard Celestia quickly approaching, giving her only a moment to look back at the bullets still in the loops and cursing. They didn't seem to do much more than piss Celestia off, but... maybe... The sapphire mare didn't have time to think, or even really plan. She just had time to rip a bullet free, shove it into the cylinder, then slam it closed and throw herself away from the tree when Celestia smashed into the other side of it and knocked it down, turning with a snarl to find Luna's gun pointed straight at her eye. For a moment, they were both frozen, the ivory mare with swords raised and at the ready and horn glowing, Luna with Sting held in one hoof and supported by the little telekinesis she could manage... and then she suddenly lowered the rifle and fired, sending the bullet ripping into flesh just above the mare's collarbone. Celestia cried out in agony, staggering backwards before she slapped Luna hard across the face with the flat of her sword, snarling furiously and trembling with anger as she approached slowly. She stomped a hoof savagely down on the mare, glaring down at her and asking in a roughened, enraged voice: “And you would try to kill me. What have you become? Who are you, Brynhild?” “Kill thee? Nay. If I wanted to kill thee I would have blasted thee through the skull, Freya.” Luna snarled in return, and then she grinned viciously as Celestia faltered, then clenched her eyes shut and moaned, her eyes blinking rapidly. “Thou knows the old wisdom, though. Do not judge another pony until thou hast walked a mile in their horseshoes.” Celestia's swords fell from the air, clattering to the ground as she staggered backwards and cried out, grabbing at her neck and her face as her rainbow mane twisted violently and sparked, her eyes and horn both glowing in pulses. Black veins, ill and horrible, spread upwards through her neck and began to spiderweb across her features, and the mare cried out in agony again as Luna gritted her teeth and her horn lit up, even as it caused her agony... but Celestia screamed and fell forwards as the corruption spreading through her boiled violently. “W-What... are you...” “This is what I go through every day, Celestia!” Luna screamed back, sitting up as tears and blood ran from her eyes, her soulstone horn cracking further as Celestia stared up in horror. “This is but a taste of my pain! Thou thinks thou had some understanding before? Well no, now thou can understand! That poison, spreading through thee, thou feels it crawling into thy mind, into thy very soul, does thou not? And thou feels the compulsion, and the hate, and the love, and... and the wanting!” Celestia gasped, then clenched her eyes shut, shivering hard as she shoved her hooves into the ground. Her breath hitched, and her body quaked as she felt Luna using that horn, powered by corruption, to channel her memories, her emotions, her simple raw pain, into her own body through the link created by the poison running through her veins. She felt the self-loathing and the desperation and the need, the need, the need that was so bad it was like she had forgotten how to breathe, the dry thirst and the... She grabbed at her throat, panting and shivering, then she looked up as her lower lip trembled as she saw what she had done. She had just been scolding Luna for deflecting, for... for hurting Scrivener and Twilight and herself and... how had she ever thought this would be a good idea? Going back to the old way of doing things because she was frustrated and angry and unhappy and... “Luna... Brynhild, I... I... oh Mimir, oh what have I done...” “Freya... Celestia...” Luna clenched her eyes shut, and then she cried out as her horn flashed brightly before the magic stuttered out from the broken soulstone, collapsing backwards with a gasp as Scrivener and Twilight ran quickly towards them, both limping and covered in fresh wounds from the battle, but looking more concerned for Luna than themselves. Tears fell from Celestia's eyes as she gazed at them: she had done that, done that to all of them. Through hurting Luna she had very literally hurt her closest friends, as she tried desperately to crawl to her hooves, but they looked at her with... it was worse than anger. It was worse than fear and disappointment. It was resignation that here she was, an old bitch-wolf that couldn't change her ways from who she'd once been, who had given in to that anger and fury instead of being the better pony she had promised everyone she would be after... after failing so miserably to defend them from the Black Wolf, after failing to protect them from Thesis, after failure after failure after failure- “We all have times when we cry, when the healing flows from our eyes; but after the pouring rain, the sun will shine again.” Discombobulation's voice said softly, and Celestia blinked slowly to look up and see the Draconequus standing beside her, a small smile on his face as he offered his hand to her. “Stiff upper lip, mum.” Celestia smiled faintly in spite of everything at the Draconequus, and then she swallowed thickly and finally reached a hoof up. His fingers gently closed around this, helping slowly pull her up to her hooves as he steadied her with his metallic fingers, saying softly: “I do wish you'd find better ways to have a rational and calm discussion with your little sister, though.” “So do I.” Scrivener muttered as he checked Luna over, and when Celestia flushed and looked embarrassedly away, the stallion sighed quietly and turned towards her before shaking his head slowly and looking up, shivering a little. His injuries mirrored Luna's, but all the same he seemed much calmer as he swallowed thickly before saying finally: “Here. I'll... help you.” He stepped forwards, his hoof breaking apart into a claw, and before Celestia could say anything the stallion quickly grasped the side of her neck, then grimaced as he concentrated and pulled with his powers. And Celestia gasped in pain as black corruption vomited out of the wound near her collarbone and bled up and out of her pores, leaving ugly lines of bruising over her features, but thankfully almost immediately lessening the agony that had been channeled into her from Luna. The ivory winged unicorn dropped her head forwards with another gasp, Scrivener grimacing before he muttered: “Sorry. I... I probably could have made that less painful but... I'm... I'm a little angry at you right now.” “You have... every right to be. I... I made a mistake again. I gave in to old instincts and... no, I'm not going to make excuses.” Celestia halted, then reached up and silently brushed the corruption away from her features, shivering and closing her eyes. “I'm sorry.” There was only silence in response, as Scrivener and Twilight carefully hauled Luna to her hooves to begin helping her back towards the house, before Celestia gasped in pain as a sudden blast of agony tore through her side. Her knees buckled, but Discombobulation caught her as he tossed away the bloody javelin, muttering: “Sorry. Heard that was like getting a needle. Better if no one tells you before they stab it in. Or in this case, tear it out.” Celestia smiled faintly after a moment at this, eve as she shivered weakly, and then she leaned silently against the Draconequus as he carefully began to lead her away from the battlefield and back towards the cabin. The woods around them were quiet, and she felt like nature itself was disapproving of what she had done as they slowly made their way back to camp. Morning Glory was sitting outside the ruined cabin, the Destroyer looking with calm interest over Celestia before she asked curiously: “So who lost the argument? Luna Brynhild only swore at me, so I assumed that it was her... but you look the worse for the wear, Dawn Bringer. And beaten not in one way, but several.” “I know she's a celebrity and all, but really, can you not play paparazzi right now?” Discombobulation asked dryly, and when Morning Glory gave him a foul look, the Draconequus sighed and rolled his eyes. “Fine, I'll swear at you too. And I know some very good swears, you c-” “I have been, yes. And I defeated myself from the very beginning, by breaking a promise I made.” Celestia said quietly, before she paused and studied Morning Glory silently. “You don't seem surprised, though. By my admission, by the condition we were in... by the fact we fought, injured each other badly, and both returned alive.” “You're sisters who love each other, and Valkyries... battlemaidens. I am a shieldmaiden with an... unpleasant past... from the old days, when we did not waste precious time or words on discussion but instead fought with strength and skill to defend our honor and earn respect. What's strange to me is the way ponies of this world handle their problems.” Morning Glory's features wrinkled in disgust. “Sitting down with their lessers and greaters as equals, talking their problems out, calling those who use skill and strength instead of lying and cheating to get their way 'brutes.'” “Discussion has its merits. So does... the kind of discussion my sister and I engaged in. But it was not the correct time for it, especially with us both wounded and emotional, and I... I was trying to impose my view again. Breaking oaths. Not keeping my word.” Celestia closed her eyes and laughed faintly. “It's no wonder I was beaten. If a Valkyrie's strength comes from her honor, I may as well have broken my own legs the moment the fight began.” Morning Glory shrugged moodily, looking calmly over Celestia before she looked over her shoulder and into the ruins of the cottage. “My brother is an emotional, stupid idiot. We argue often, and often I hurt him. Rarely do I hurt him badly but... my patience slips at times, and he seems to forget that I am a Wrath demon. We are not known for controlling our tempers. “On the rare occasion I injure him seriously enough to feel that I have done him a disservice instead of helped improve his intellect, I have found that mending bridges is only difficult and awkward because of my absolute hatred of him and refusal to acknowledge his worth or value, because he has no worth or value.” Morning Glory continued, and Celestia and Discombobulation both stared at the Destroyer before she sighed tiredly and said moodily: “Rectifying my mistake of forgetting how fragile Ardent is only requires me to do one thing, no matter how much I hurt him. Go inside and give your little sister a hug.” Celestia looked at Morning Glory for a few moments, and then she nodded and calmly pulled herself away from Discombobulation, the Draconequus gazing after her softly as the ivory mare carefully strode towards where Luna was sitting back against the wall, with Twilight and Scrivener on either side of her. All three ponies looked up at her distrustfully, but without hesitation, Celestia strode up to her sister and hugged her fiercely, closing her eyes and whispering: “I'm sorry.” Luna trembled a little... then she closed her eyes and reached up to grasp her sister's shoulder, bowing her head against her and turning her eyes away as she mumbled: “I... I still hate thee, Celestia. But I will... I would not object to thy presence. Just do not speak much and... do not lecture me.” “Thank you.” Celestia smiled faintly as she slipped back a bit, then she reached up and rubbed slowly at her features. The two siblings studied each other, both with their wounds fresh enough they were still bleeding through broken armor, both breathing roughly in and out and filled with pain... but there was a faint whisper of relief, too, and it wasn't like physical pain was a stranger to either of them. Nor was even this kind of violence... long, long as it had been since the two had done more than spar, and actually tried to bring each other down. Luna closed her eyes and smiled faintly, and Celestia tilted her head before the sapphire mare murmured: “I won again, Celestia... I...” She cursed, then gritted her teeth as her crystalline horn sparked faintly before her starry mane and tail both fizzled, then turned to soft blue hair. A few things fell out of Luna's mane as it lost its magic: pieces of metal, debris, what looked like a ring, and Celestia flushed in shame as she looked at the damage that had been done to the mare's soulstone horn, murmuring: “Here, let me-” “I do not need thy help. Accursed Celestia.” Luna muttered, shoving at her when she leaned forwards, and Celestia winced a bit before the sapphire mare shook her head slowly. “Nay. The soulstone will... 'heal...' as my energy restores and... with a bit of help from Scrivener Blooms.” Luna looked up almost challengingly at Celestia, as if daring her to say something, but the ivory mare only shook her head and smiled faintly, looking away and hesitating before she asked quietly: “Were you... were you serious about giving up your horn after we defeat Thesis?” “If we have found no way to... fix me... aye, I am. I will give up my horn, and wean off the corruption. I promise it upon my honor. And upon Sleipnir's grave, although... 'tis meaningless to do so, since our brother is returned from the beyond. But thou knows all the same what I mean.” Luna smiled a little despite herself at Celestia, who nodded with a quiet laugh and glanced down silently. “Okay.” Celestia said simply, and then she hesitated before looking over at Scrivener Blooms, who was gazing at her distrustfully... almost as distrustfully as Twilight Sparkle. And oh, how much that hurt, but... she couldn't blame either of them. Twilight especially: something like this, she imagined, brought back all the thoughts of Celestia the Radiant, and... the terrible way she had betrayed her once-student's trust. There was silence for a few moments, and then Luna picked up the silver ring before firmly thrusting it towards Celestia, and the ivory mare blinked before she looked down at this and took it. She turned it over... then trembled a little at the symbol on the face of the silver object, as Luna mumbled: “I... I meant to give this to thee, but... then we had our misunderstanding. Here, 'tis thine, I-” Celestia hugged Luna fiercely, squeezing her up into her body, and the sapphire mare gargled in surprise and agony as the ivory mare trembled hard, tears rolling down her cheeks. She had forgotten Frey again: if she had seen this ring before they had started arguing, she knew she would have remembered her lost twin, her good half. She would have remembered everything he taught her, and mixed so well with everything her little living brother, Sleipnir believed in, too: be good, be kind, be patient, and lead by example. Not by force. She breathed slowly in and out, trembling as she held Luna tightly up against her body, and the sapphire mare softened and dropped her head against her sibling as Scrivener finally sighed and lowered his head, and Twilight rubbed at her face before nodding silently once. But Celestia didn't see any of it: her eyes were tightly closed, and all she was focused on were the images from the far, far past, before she had picked up sword and steel and when all she had was her twin brother and the endless forests of Vanaheim... and that had been all she had needed. Top ↑